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Mace New Testament

Acts 17:16

While Paul was expecting them at Athens, he was grieved to the soul to see the whole city o'er-spread with idols.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Gentiles;   Idolatry;   Paul;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - False;   Idolatry;   Worship, False;   Worship, True and False;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Idolatry;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Epicureans;   Image;   Thessalonica;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Areopagus;   Athens;   Paul;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Thessalonians, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Ordination;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Athens;   Greece;   Jews in the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Achaia;   Acts of the Apostles;   Epicureans;   Thessalonians, First Epistle to the;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Gentiles;   Idolatry;   Simon Magus;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Athens ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jason;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Image;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Saul of Tarsus;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Catechist;   Gods;   Provocation;   Teach;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Purity of Race;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for October 8;  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Paul waited on his pards to get to Athens. He strolled the city and was torn-up inside with all the idols of other gods he saw there.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols.
Bible in Basic English
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was troubled, for he saw all the town full of images of the gods.
Darby Translation
But in Athens, while Paul was waiting for them, his spirit was painfully excited in him seeing the city given up to idolatry.
New King James Version
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.
Christian Standard Bible®
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was troubled within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.
World English Bible
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.
Weymouth's New Testament
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred within him when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
King James Version (1611)
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when hee saw the city wholy giuen to idolatrie.
Literal Translation
But awaiting them in Athens, Paul's spirit was pained within him, seeing the city full of images.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whyle Paul wayted for them at Athens, his sprete was moued in him, whan he sawe the cite geue so to the worshippinge of ymages.
THE MESSAGE
The longer Paul waited in Athens for Silas and Timothy, the angrier he got—all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols.
Amplified Bible
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was greatly angered when he saw that the city was full of idols.
American Standard Version
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he beheld the city full of idols.
Revised Standard Version
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Whyll Paul wayted for them at Attens his sprete was moved in him to se the cite geven to worshippinge of ymages.
Update Bible Version
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked inside him as he looked at the city full of idols.
Webster's Bible Translation
Now, while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Young's Literal Translation
and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,
New Century Version
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was troubled because he saw that the city was full of idols.
New English Translation
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was greatly upset because he saw the city was full of idols.
Berean Standard Bible
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
Contemporary English Version
While Paul was waiting in Athens, he was upset to see all the idols in the city.
Complete Jewish Bible
While Sha'ul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit within him was disturbed at the sight of the city full of idols.
English Standard Version
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirite was stirred in him, when hee sawe the citie subiect to idolatrie.
George Lamsa Translation
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, he saw the whole city full of idols, and he murmured thereat in his spirit.
Hebrew Names Version
Now while Sha'ul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
International Standard Version
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred to its depths to see the city full of idols.2 Peter 2:8;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
But he, Paulos, while he waited in Athinos, was embittered in his spirit, (for he) saw how the whole city was filled with idols.
Murdock Translation
And while Paul was waiting [fn] at Athens, he was pained in his spirit; because he saw that the whole city was full of idols.
New Living Translation
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply troubled by all the idols he saw everywhere in the city.
New Life Bible
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, his spirit was troubled as he saw the whole city worshiping false gods.
English Revised Version
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him, as he beheld the city full of idols.
New Revised Standard
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, while, in Athens, Paul was expecting them, his spirit within him was being urged on, seeing how the city was given to idols.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now whilst Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, seeing the city wholly given to idolatry.
King James Version
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
Lexham English Bible
Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he observed the city was full of idols.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whyle Paul wayted for them at Athens, his spirite was moued in hym, when he sawe the citie geue to worshippyng of idoles.
Easy-to-Read Version
While Paul was waiting for Silas and Timothy in Athens, he was upset because he saw that the city was full of idols.
New American Standard Bible
Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he observed that the city was full of idols.
Good News Translation
While Paul was waiting in Athens for Silas and Timothy, he was greatly upset when he noticed how full of idols the city was.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And while Poul abood hem at Atenys, his spirit was moued in him, for he saiy the citee youun to ydolatrie.

Contextual Overview

16 While Paul was expecting them at Athens, he was grieved to the soul to see the whole city o'er-spread with idols. 17 he disputed therefore in the synagogue with the Jews, and the proselyted Greeks: and in the publick place daily with those he met. 18 there certain Epicurean and Stoick philosophers encountred him: "what does this mountebank mean?" said some: "he seems to proclaim some strange deitys," said others: because he talk'd to them of Jesus and the resurrection. 19 One day they conducted him to the Areopagus, and said to him, may we know what this new doctrine is, which you publish? 20 for what you say sounds so very strange, we should be glad to know what it means. 21 now the Athenians, and the foreigners residing at Athens generally amus'd themselves about nothing, but hearing and spreading of news.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Cir, am 4058, ad 54

his spirit: Exodus 32:19, Exodus 32:20, Numbers 25:6-11, 1 Kings 19:10, 1 Kings 19:14, Job 32:2, Job 32:3, Job 32:18-20, Psalms 69:9, Psalms 119:136, Psalms 119:158, Jeremiah 20:9, Micah 3:8, Mark 3:5, John 2:13, 2 Peter 2:7

wholly given to idolatry: or, full of idols, Acts 17:23, *marg.

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 28:24 - he made Isaiah 2:8 - is full Jeremiah 6:11 - Therefore Jeremiah 50:38 - mad Luke 4:31 - taught John 13:21 - he was Acts 4:20 - we cannot Acts 14:15 - and preach Acts 17:22 - I perceive Acts 18:5 - was 2 Corinthians 7:11 - zeal

Cross-References

Romans 9:9
for the words of the promise run thus, "at this time I will come, and Sara shall have a son."
1 Peter 3:6
such was Sarah, who show'd her obeysance to Abraham, by stiling him her Lord: and you will be stiled her children, if you imitate her conduct, and are not to be terrified out of your virtue.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now while Paul waited for them at Athens..... That is, for Silas and Timotheus:

his spirit was stirred in him; not only his soul was troubled and his heart was grieved, but he was exasperated and provoked to the last degree: he was in a paroxysm; his heart was hot within him; he had a burning fire in his bones, and was weary with forbearing, and could not stay; his zeal wanted vent, and he gave it:

when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry; or "full of idols", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it. So Cicero says x that Athens was full of temples; and Xenophon y observes that they had double the feasts of other people; and Pausanias z affirms, that the Athenians far exceeded others in the worship of the gods, and care about religion; and he relates, that they had an altar for Mercy, another for Shame, another for Fame, and another for Desire, and expressed more religion to the gods than others did: they had an altar dedicated to twelve gods a; and because they would be sure of all, they erected one to an unknown god; in short, they had so many of them, that one b jestingly said to them, our country is so full of deities, that one may more easily find a god than a man: so that with all their learning and wisdom they knew not God, 1 Corinthians 1:21.

x De responsis Aruspicum. y De Athen. Polit. z Attica, p. 29, 42. a Thucydides Bell. Peloponness. l. 6. b Petronius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Now while Paul waited - How long he was there is not intimated; but doubtless some time would elapse before they could arrive. In the meantime Paul had ample opportunity to observe the state of the city.

His spirit was stirred in him - His mind was greatly excited. The word used here (παρωξύνετο parōxuneto) denotes “any excitement, agitation, or paroxysm of mind,” 1 Corinthians 13:5. It here means that the mind of Paul was greatly concerned, or agitated, doubtless with pity and distress at their folly and danger.

The city wholly given to idolatry - Greek: κατέιδωλον kateidōlon. It is well translated in the margin, “or full of idols.” The word is not used elsewhere in the New Testament. That this was the condition of the city is abundantly testified by profane writers. Thus, Pausanias (in Attic. 1 Corinthians 1:24) says, “the Athenians greatly surpassed others in their zeal for religion.” Lucian (t. i. Prometh. p. 180) says of the city of Athens, “On every side there are altars, victims, temples, and festivals.” Livy (45, 27) says that Athens “was full of the images of gods and men, adorned with every variety of material, and with all the skill of art.” And Petronius (Sat. xvii.) says humorously of the city, that “it was easier to find a god than a man there.” See Kuinoel. In this verse we may see how a splendid idolatrous city will strike a pious mind. Athens then had more that was splendid in architecture, more that was brilliant in science, and more that was beautiful in the arts, than any other city of the world; perhaps more than all the rest of the world united.

Yet there is no account that the mind of Paul was filled with admiration; there is no record that he spent his time in examining the works of art; there is no evidence that he forgot his high purpose in an idle and useless contemplation of temples and statuary. His was a Christian mind; and he contemplated all this with a Christian heart. That heart was deeply affected in view of the amazing guilt of a people who were ignorant of the true God, who had filled their city with idols reared to the honor of imaginary divinities, and who, in the midst of all this splendor and luxury, were going down to destruction. So should every pious man feel who treads the streets of a splendid and guilty city. The Christian will not despise the productions of art, but he will feel, deeply feel, for the unhappy condition of those who, amidst wealth, and splendor, and outward adoring, are withholding their affections from the living God, and who are going unredeemed to eternal woe. Happy would it be if every Christian traveler who visits cities of wealth and splendor would, like Paul, be affected in view of their crimes and dangers; stud happy if, like him, people could cease their unbounded admiration of magnificence and splendor in temples, and palaces, and statuary, to regard the condition of mind, not perishable like marble of the soul, more magnificent even in its ruins than all the works of Phidias or Praxiteles.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 17:16. He saw the city wholly given to idolatry. — κατειδωλον, Full of idols, as the margin has it, and very properly. Whoever examines the remains of this city, as represented by Mr. Stuart in his Antiquities, already referred to, will be satisfied of the truth of St. Luke's remark: it was full of idols. Bishop Pearce produces a most apposite quotation from Pausanias, which confirms the observation: Ουκ ην αλλαχου τοσαυτα ιδειν ειδωλα. There was no place where so many idols were to be seen. PAUS. in Attic. cap. xvii. 24.

PETRONIUS, who was contemporary with St. Paul, in his Satyr. cap. xvii., makes Quartilla say of Athens: Utique nostra regio tam PRAESENTIBUS PLENA EST NUMINIBUS, ut facilius possis DEUM quam HOMINEM invenire. Our region is so full of deities that you may more frequently meet with a god than a man.


 
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